Geo-Strategic Trend - 161. page

Asia Pacific Daily published a comprehensive article based on reports from several media that China arrested a North Korean spy at home in early June and confiscated 30 million yuan (US$4.6 million) and some gold bars.

The Yomiuri Shimbun, a Japanese media, which received information on June 11, first reported the news.

The South Korean media Chosun Ilbo reported, "The huge amount of cash and gold bars belonged to the North Korean military or the Worker’s Party."

The arrested spy was stationed in Dandong City, a city on China’s border with North Korea. He was referred to as "representative of the home country" and "General Manager." He was believed to have participated in the secret trade of materials that the United Nations embargoed against North Korean.

This arrest took place a few days after Vice chairman of the Workers’ Party Lee Yong-soo’s visit to China. Lee had a meeting with Xi Jinping in Beijing and returned on June 2. The Yomiuri Shimbun believed that China arrested the spy in order to apply pressure to North Korea because Lee Yong-soo expressed, during his meeting, that North Korea would continue its nuclear development efforts.

South Korea’s media JoongAng Ilbo also reported that, in March, a North Korean official tried to carry 20,000 yuan (US$3,000) to North Korea but was stopped at China’s customs at Dandong. He ended up not going to North Korea. Some analysts suggested, "Since China does not allow wiring Renminbi from banks to North Korea , the North Koreans can only transport cash. If China strengthens currency control [at the border], North Korea may have [no choice but] to smuggle or use international postal delivery vehicles to send cash."

The United Nations Resolution 2270, which was passed on March 2, required all member countries to cut bank connections with North Korea within 90 days.

Source: Asia Pacific Daily, June 14, 2016
http://zh.apdnews.com/asia/neasia/423565.html

Oriental Daily reported that, in an internal forum, Wang Zaixi, former Deputy Director of the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, made the following points regarding the Taiwan issue:

The comprehensive powers of the two sides of the Taiwan strait have changed dramatically. Mainland China should have strategic confidence. There are four strategies that it can adopt to handle Taiwan independence: a political split, military deterrence, economic integration, and a diplomatic arrangement.

Wang stated that the Taiwan issue has existed for 67 years. The international convention takes 100 years as a key milestone in determining the authority of an island. "After 100 years, the international tribunal’s decision is not based on who owned the island historically but rather who has effectively controlled the island in the past 100 years." Thus there is not much time left to solve the Taiwan issue. There is no time table for the reunification, but the government should have a sense of urgency.

Source: Oriental Daily, May 22, 2016
http://tw.on.cc/cn/bkn/cnt/news/20160522/bkncn-20160522150423796-0522_05011_001_cn.html

Xinhua republished a Global Times’ article on China’s media campaign on the global stage on the issue of the South China Sea.

"As the South Chinese Sea Arbitration decision date is approaching, China’s media campaign to rebut those statements from the Philippines and the U.S. that have muddied the truth has reached its peak."

"Foreign Minister Wan Yi said, ‘On the South China Sea issue, any actions that ignore the basic facts, take the side of their own allies, or that deliberately create political issues will not get support from the people. Rather, they will ruin their own reputations and it will come to a fruitless end.’"

"On the same day, Rashid Alimov, the Secretary General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, stated, ‘We strongly oppose interference on this issue from any countries outside the region; we also oppose the internationalization of the issue.’"